Abdullah Ibrahim & Ekaya

Pianist Abdullah Ibrahim’s Ekaya is more an expression of the South African’s musical philosophy than a fixed combo; musicians have come and gone and his collaborators have changed completely since its inception in 1983. Ekaya is not about personalities, but about music born of South Africa and the Afro-American experience. Speaking of Ekaya, Ibrahim states, “Its center is a universal code; regardless of where you go you remain at home.” The septet clearly feels right at home with this reworking of previously recorded material, individually and collectively delivering wonderful performances, subdued in tempo but containing a smoldering passion and deep soul.